Starting brace for starting gates



Oct. 11, 1960 J. c. PURCELL 2,955,570

STARTING BRACE FOR STARTING GATES Original Filed May 9, 1956 2Sheets-Sheet 1 '4. M 'F' I W C. Purse,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m F C. A m

United States Patent 7 2,955,570 STARTING .BRACE FOR STARTING GATES JohnC. Purcell, St. Petersburg, Fla., assignor to Puett Electrical StartingGate Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of California Originalapplication May 9, 1956, SenNo. 583,760, now Patent No. 2,888,904, datedJune 2, 1959. Divided and this application Mar. 20, 1959, Ser. No.800,707

6 Claims. (Cl. 119-155) The present invention relates to a device forassisting the horses at the time the doors of the starting gate areopened at the beginning of a horse race. A starting gate is used forstarting horses in flat racing, the doors being simultaneously opened torelease the horses, when the starting button is actuated by the starter.The starting button is connected in circuit with magnetic meansassociated with each pair of doors between the several partitions, andeach pair of doors simultaneously opens to release the horses.

, This application is a division of application Serial No. 583,760,filed May 9, 1956, entitled Starting Brace for Starting Gates, nowPatent No. 2,888,904, granted June 2, 1959. i

The principal object of the invention is to provide a starting bar whichis supported by the starting gate and which may be moved from anoperative position where it is in engagement with the track surface, toa position above the track surface wherein the gate may be removedfrom'the track. The starting brace, due to its mounting on the gate, isautomatically properly positioned with reference to the forwardlyopening doors of the starting gate. When in position on the tracks urface, this brace forms a support for the rear feet of the horses so thatthe horses feet may push against the bar as they spring forward in thegate, at the start of a race.

An additional object is to provide a starting brace provided with meansfor quickly attaching or detaching the same to a race track startinggate.

A further object is to provide means for readily raising and loweringthe starting brace from an operative to an inoperative position on itssupport on the starting gate.

Yet another object is the provision of gearing means for quicklylowering or raising the starting brace from its operative to itsinoperative position, said gearing means being mounted on the startinggate.

Other objects will specification.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view, partly broken away, showingone form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a detailed perspective View, partly broken away, of the formof the invention, shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 of a second form of theinvention;

Figure 4 is a similar view of a third form of the invention; and

Figure 5 is a view of a fourth form of the invention.

For starting horses in flat races, the tracks are provided with a topsurface formed of a material that is a mixture of sand, dirt and someclay, of the proper consistency to give a springy surface for the horsesfeet during the race. This top surface is maintained in a soft conditionby the use of rakes, harrows, and unless the track has been dampened bya recent rainfall, by frequent spraying of the track surface before andafter each race. In dry weather this surface, unless sprayed with water,provides a fast track, while during weather appear hereinafterthroughout the in which the track is subjected to continual rains thetrack surface becomes spongy or even muddy providing a slow track.

Under either of these conditions, and particularly during the lattercondition, considerable difiiculty is experienced by the horses ingetting a fast start when leaving the gate at the start of a race. FIheforce applied by the horses feet in springing forward'from a standingposition in the gate frequently causes their hind feet to slip, or atleast to dig into the ground to some extent. When the track surface issaturated with water, the ground actually applies suction to their feet.In other words, someof the force applied by the horses is lost in theirfirst movement in a forward direction, due to the softness or thesponginess of the tracks surface.

The present invention overcomes this deficiency by providing a hard,comparatively unyielding surface forming a rest for the hind feet of thehorses, by which they are able to propel themselves forward at the startof the race,

without danger of slipping or slewing of their hind feet during theirfirst forward movement out of the starting gate.

Seventy-five percent of all thoroughbred races inthe United States areso-called sprint races of six fur-longs or less, and a good start isdeemed absolutely necessary. There are-many times during the conduct ofhorse racing that the race track surface, especially if muddy orslippery, will break beneath the horses as they attempt to springforward at the race, causing them to slide backwards and sometimesstumble.

.. quently at the hind legs due to the great strain placed on by the useof the starting brace or bar to prevent rearward slipping and to providea safe means of leaving the starting gate in a Well-balanced positionand with a minimum of lost motion.

Referring to the drawings, the starting gate is indicated at A inFigure 1. It consists of an overhead structure 10, having groundsupporting wheels 12, and a plurality of stanchions 14 for supportingthe usual stall partitions, not shown. Usually, pairs of stanchions areused for each partition, but only the rear stanchions have beenillustrated.

A starting bar is indicated in Figures 1 and 2 by the reference numeral16. It will be understood that there are a number of stanchions 14provided such as illustrated in Figure l, and that one or more of thesestanchions is provided with the brace illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 4 and5. There are at least two brace supporting means, and preferably threeor more are provided, but the number of brace supporting means dependsupon the length of the starting gate.

As shown in Figure 2, there is a U-shaped guide 18, mounted on astanchion by means of bolts 20. Slidably mounted in the guide 18 is arack 22 having teeth 24 that are engaged by the pinion 26.

Rigidly connected, as by welding, to the guide 18 is a frame 28, havinga bearing, not shown, through which shaft 30 extends. On this shaft issplined a handwheel 32. Mounted adjacent to the lower end of the rack 22is an arm 36 that mounts the rod 38 having eye 40 at its lower end,which latter supports the link 42. The link mounts the snap-hook 44which latter is engaged in the loop 46 rigidly fixed to the top surfaceof the starting brace 16. The bar 16 is constructed in accordance withthe structure disclosed in my application referred to above, namely itmay be U-shaped in cross-section and it is preferably covered with aplastic coating.

Figure 3 shows a stanchion 48 similar to the stanchion This occurs mostfre- 14. Any number of these stanchions are provided depending upon thelength of the gate, and the number of supports for the brace are alsodetermined by the length of the gate. The stanchion mounts a pawl andratchet construction wherein bracket is attached to the stanchion bythreaded bolts 52. The bracket rigidly mounts the ratchet or curved rack54 having teeth 56. Handle 58 has a pawl 60 for adjustably engaging theteeth 56. The handle is pivotally mounted on a shaft 62 that is fixed tothe bracket, the handle forming part of a bell crank. The other arm ofthe bell crank 64 has a pivot 66 to which is attached the arm 68 thatraises and lowers the starting brace 70 by means of eye 72, links 74,snap hook 76 and loop 78, the latter being fixed to the upper surface ofthe brace. Nails 80 hold the brace in position on the track.

In Figure 4 the stanchion 82 has a bracket 84, removably mounted on itby bolts 86. The bracket has a U-shaped portion 88 in which slides therack 90 having teeth 92. These teeth are engaged by a rack segment 94splined on shaft 96 in bearings 98, and mounted on this shaft is theoperating handle 100. Mounted, as in the previously described figures,on the end of the rack is the starting brace, not shown. It will beunderstood, however, that the starting brace is the same as that shownin Figures 1, 2, and other figures herein.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 and others, but showing aturnbuckle to connect the parts of the shaft, connected to the startingbrace for quick removal thereof. The numeral 102 shows the stanchion,104 the bracket, 106 the rack segment fixed thereto, 108 the handlecarrying the pawl 110, 112 the other portion of the bell crank, 114 theprimary rod portion, 116 the secondary rod portion, and 118 the startingbrace.

These rod portions 114 and 116 are threaded at 120 and 122 and areengaged by the turnbuckle 124.

The above description and drawings disclose several embodiments of theinvention, and specific language has been employed in describing theseveral figures. It will, nevertheless, be understood that nolimitations of the 4 scope of the invention are thereby contemplated,and that various alterations and modifications may be made such as wouldoccur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

I claim:

1. In combination with a mobile starting gate for a race trackcomprising stanchion means having associated therewith a rear doormeans, an elongated starting brace means located at substantially thelevel of the track and substantially beneath said stanchion means,supporting means for said brace means, said sup'porting'means comprisingat least one elongated member attached to said brace means and having atoothed rack on its free end, and a coacting gear means mounted on saidstanchion and adapted, when actuated, to adjust the vertical height ofsaid brace means.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said supporting means furtherincludes link means whereby to permit automatic adjustments between saidelongated member and said brace means.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said supporting means furtherincludes quick detachable means comprising a snap hook on said elongatedmember for connecting and disconnecting said elongated member to saidbrace means.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said gear means is provided withmanual operating means for operating said gear means.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said manual operating meanscomprises a handwheel.

6. The structure of claim 4 wherein said manual operating meanscomprises a lever extending radially from the axis of said gear.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,273,493 McMillan Feb. 17, 1942 2,868,168 Dunn Jan. 13, 1959 2,888,904Purcell June 2, 1959

